Paul Smith on Falkirk's trip to Hamilton, Ross MacIver 'being ahead of schedule' and defensive duo latest

The ex-Motherwell and Ross County ace has been the Bairns’ key man up top so this this Championship season, propelling his team to the top of the table.

Speaking ahead of the Hamilton Accies trip tonight, Smith said: “Ross was back out on the grass. He is probably one week early. At the moment he is possibly ahead of schedule.

"But we know that with a hamstring the end is always where something can pop up so we will be cautious.”

On injured defensive duo Tom Lang and Coll Donaldson, the news wasn’t as good: “There has been no real great improvement there. We are assessing them day by day and we aren’t going to push them.

"We’re very lucky to have Liam Henderson and Luke Graham. Luke has come in and made a big impact. We won’t push both of them, we don’t have a timescale on them at all.

“Coll is the captain of the football club and him and Tom are still playing a big part off the pitch. Coll has been great with Luke and it helps that Liam is a great talker on the pitch too.

“Luke looks like he has played there for years. I think it will be difficult for Tom and Coll to get in the team with how Luke and Liam are playing.”

Falkirk travel to Hamilton Accies tonight as they look to move points clear at the top ahead of Saturday’s matches.

Ahead of the trip to last season’s League One rivals, Smith said: “We’ve had a wee bit more time to prepare even although it is a Friday night game. Hamilton have brought in seven or eight or new players from last season. It will be a difficult game.

"Oli Shaw scores goal and he is one for us to watch. We won there twice last season but John Rankin always has his teams set up well.”